


like a river through your veins

by lavenderlotion



Series: a kind of fire persisting unafraid [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Apologies, Awkward Flirting, Bad Flirting, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Civil War Team Iron Man, Established Relationship, Forgiveness, Friendship, Jealousy, M/M, Multi, Not Canon Compliant, Not Steve Rogers Friendly, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Pre-Relationship, Remorse, Team Dynamics, Team as Family, Teasing, not team Cap friendly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:09:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27335455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lavenderlotion/pseuds/lavenderlotion
Summary: “You’re the future?” James asks, out of nowhere and loud enough that Dr. Stark and Rogers both stop talking right away. Peter barely notices, because when he looks over James is staring at him so intensely that a shiver runs down Peter’s spine and the hairs along his arms stand on end. It isn’t a threat, but it is something. “If you’re what the future looks like, doll, I sure as hell wanna be apart ‘a it.”
Relationships: Friday & Peter Parker, Harley Keener & Peter Parker, James "Bucky" Barnes/Peter Parker, James "Rhodey" Rhodes/Tony Stark/Stephen Strange, Peter Parker & Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Vision
Series: a kind of fire persisting unafraid [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1995916
Comments: 163
Kudos: 626





	like a river through your veins

**Author's Note:**

> listen, i don’t even know??? I wrote down a few lines of VERY bad flirting and then i built an entire fic around it that just kept fucking growing so... enjoy??

Peter is (mostly) quietly stewing in rage and doing his very best not to show it, if only because Dr. Stark asked him not to. He wants this dumb meeting to go as _“painlessly as possible”_ which is something that Peter thinks is _bullshit._ Big, _stinking_ bullshit. Vision and Harley also think it’s absolutely bullshit, which just goes to show that they’re the best brothers ever. FRIDAY is also on their side, duh, which means the Stark siblings are totally holding up a united front even if Peter isn’t letting it show. 

Mostly. 

It’s just bullshit that  _ they _ are the ones who have to make things run smoothly when they haven’t done anything wrong! Peter totally gets where Dr. Stark is coming from, really, but it’s... annoying that he expects them to pretend like nothing is wrong. But Dr. Stark asked, so he’s  _ trying, _ which has to be enough, right? It isn’t his fault that he has expressive eyes! He’s not  _ outwardly _ frowning, which is really the best that he can do, all things considered. 

Harley keeps glancing over at him from where he’s sitting next to him in the crazy big boardroom the UN provided them for their meeting. Harley’s wearing sunglasses, sure, but Peter can totally feel his eyes on him every time his head tilts to the side. He’s not being  _ nearly _ as subtle as he thinks he is, which is really annoying since it keeps distracting Peter from where he’s just trying to mindlessly scroll through Instagram as they wait—Colonel Rhodes thought it was a good idea to make sure they got to the meeting room earlier than they needed to so that they’d already be together and presenting themselves with a unified front and Dr. Stark agreed—but he  _ can’t _ mindlessly scroll through Instagram when Harley keeps looking at him. 

Just because Harley is wearing sunglasses he totally stole from Dr. Stark doesn’t mean Peter can’t see the rest of his face. He’s totally frowning too! Peter probably looks totally pleasant. Super totally pleasant. In fact, he probably looks more pleasant than he’s ever looked before, ever! But... Harley keeps looking at him, so just to be sure he’s looking super pleasant, Peter stretches his jaw and only then realizes that he’s been clenching it so tightly he feels the ghost of an ache before his healing takes care of it. 

Shoot. 

Okay so... maybe he’s not doing a super good job at looking all that pleasant, but... Colonel Rhodes isn’t either! In fact, Colonel Rhodes is  _ glaring _ at the door, and the Avengers aren’t even due to arrive for half an hour! If Colonel Rhodes can look like  _ that _ then Peter can totally look like whatever he’s looking like, no matter what Harley thinks. 

Peter’s about to open his mouth to tell Harley to mind his own business and  _ stop _ looking at him, but before he gets the chance Dr. Stark says “Boys,” in a tone that’s supposed to sound like a warning but really just makes Peter’s chest feel all soft and gooey and loved, and Peter clicks his teeth closed. He turns to the older man with a pout, but Dr. Stark isn’t even looking at them. Instead, he’s tapping away on his Stark Pad.

Rude. 

Ms. van Dyne sends him a secretive smile from where she’s talking with Captain Danvers. 

Peter pouts even more. 

He wasn’t even doing anything! 

Harley laughs at him, like the horrible brother that he is, so Peter sticks out his tongue and laughs when Harley does it back, kicking the other boy’s ankle gently and then keeping his foot pressed against him. The contact is small, but something inside of Peter’s chest seems to completely deflate at the rush of comfort it brings him. 

“It’s gonna be okay, Pete,” Harley whispers under his breath, but Peter shrugs. Harley leans in towards him, and he looks at Peter from under his sunglasses. “They’re not gonna hurt any of us.”

“You...” Peter bites into his bottom lip to hold in an accusation he doesn’t mean, knowing Harley will take it as one no matter what. 

Iron Lad is the newest official addition to the Protectors, even if it’s been almost a year since he signed the Accords. Dr. Stark wouldn’t let him anywhere near... well,  _ anything, _ till he was eighteen. Peter knows just how Harley feels about being kept at arm's length for so many years but he also understands why Dr. Stark did it. Peter doesn’t blame him for being upset about how he feels, but he doesn’t blame Dr. Stark either—sure, Peter started fighting crime at fourteen, but Peter wouldn’t have wished that on  _ anyone, _ let alone his brother. 

They’ve talked about it, but Harley... it’s really hard to understand what it does to you, starting so early, if you don’t live it. 

Harley didn’t come to New York for more than a whole year after the “Civil War”. That means he wasn’t around for the first few months like Peter was, when Dr. Stark was recovering from what happened and was barely a shell of “Tony Fucking Stark”, as Colonel Rhodes called him. He wasn’t around for the weeks Dr. Stark spent in a hospital bed or the months when he was forced to rest, and he wasn’t around for everything that came along with that. 

Peter was. Peter made  _ sure _ he was, refusing to stay away and forcing his way in when Dr. Stark tried to keep him out. He was lucky that Mr. Stark returned to the tower in New York, so when Mr. Hogan tried to keep him away, Peter could easily get around him. Then, as soon as he met Vision, the two of them teamed up so it wasn’t like Mr. Hogan could stop him anyway. After all, Vision could phase through walls. Peter made sure that he spent time with Dr. Stark around school and Vision made sure to be around for Colonel Rhodes when he was healing, too, and together they made sure that both of them were... mostly okay. 

It took a really long time. Dr. Stark didn’t sleep for months and months, not until Colonel Rhodes had left the treatment centre he’d been at. Peter was pretty sure neither of them had slept, really, until they were finally together again. It had gotten better after that, especially once FRIDAY joined their forces so Vision and Peter could do more, and things were already starting to look up when Harley came around. 

Harley, who did a lot for Dr. Stark, yeah, but who hadn’t been there for all the nightmares and panic attacks that were really bad at first. Dr. Stark and Harley had a “connection”—one that had made Peter really jealous until Harley joined their team of Stark siblings—and having him there really helped him as the Avengers grew even bigger. 

Then, finally, Harley had finished his training and joined the team, too. 

So it wasn’t that Harley hadn’t been around. Or that he didn’t care. He  _ did _ care—they both saw Dr. Stark as a Dad—but... he hadn't been there for the fight and he hadn’t been there for the immediate aftermath and he... he doesn’t know. 

“I know,” Harley tells him, answering the accusation that Peter doesn’t voice with guilt in his eyes. Peter doesn’t need to see them to know they’d be wet. “But I am now. We  _ all _ are now.” 

Peter nods, and he lets himself fall to the side when Harley wraps an arm around his shoulder and draws him in tightly. Peter is forever thankful the other boy is just as tactile as he is, considering Vision doesn’t really understand the appeal of cuddling and FRIDAY doesn’t have a physical body. At first, before they fell into what they are now, there was... something there. Harley’s, like, super hot. Peter isn’t  _ blind  _ and he’s a teenage boy.  _ Of course _ he was interested in Harley when he first transferred to Midtown to finish his senior year. 

And... apparently, Harley thought he was really hot too. They’d danced around things until Peter had worked up the courage to ask Harley out, but they only had to go out on one date to realize they were  _ not _ romantically compatible. 

Like, at all. 

_... physically _ compatible is a whole different story, however.

“What are you two whispering about over there?” Tony asks them—as if they aren’t only a few seats away and they all probably heard what they were saying anyway—with a raised eyebrow and a quirk of his lips that interrupts Peter’s train of thought. 

“Nothing, Dr. Stark,” Peter mumbles, at the exact same time as Harley snarks, “None of your business, old man.”

“And you say I don’t have favourites,” Dr. Stark snarks back, raising an eyebrow and sending a gentle smile Peter’s way. Peter appreciates it. A lot. 

“I’m just nervous,” he admits, long past hiding the way he’s feeling to appear strong. 

These people don’t need him to do that. This  _ team _ doesn’t need him to do that. Sometimes Peter thinks that’s the best part of the Avengers—he has a support system that  _ knows what it feels like _ to rest the weight of the world on your shoulders. 

“Don’t be, kid,” Colonel Rhodes says. At first, being called a kid bothered him, but he now knows that Jim means it as a term of endearment and not a reminder of his age. Colonel leans forward to look around Tony, and the smile he gives him is even more gentle than Dr. Stark’s. Peter loves them both so much. “We’ve got your back.”

“We  _ all _ have your back, Peter,” Captain Danvers tells him kindly, the same type of steady reassurance in her voice that she always runs missions with. Peter loves being led by her, and this is why: she says they have his back, and he knows deep down in his core that she means it. 

Peter lets the reassurance do what it’s supposed to do and draws comfort from their words, and he cuddles closer into Harley’s side when his brother kisses his forehead. 

It’s pretty quiet after that, and it’s easy to lose himself in the presence of his team. Captain Danvers is going over reports she has printed out, most likely logs from their latest mission taking down some sort of crazed... rodent thing, and she’s making a bunch of notes. Ms. van Dyne is typing away  _ super _ fast on the... laptop-thing her and Tony made a year ago. Peter is pretty sure that Stark Industries and Pym Technologies are going to release them together in a couple of years, but they already gave one to Peter to give to Ned and Ned  _ loves _ it. 

Dr. Stark and Colonel Rhodes have their heads bent close and their fingers twined together, but Peter is pretty sure he doesn’t want to know what they’re whispering about anyway,  _ especially _ with the way Colonel Rhodes is looking at Dr. Stark. Dr. Strange isn’t joining them for this meeting because he isn’t a full-time Protector—since he  _ is _ the full-time Sorcerer Supreme, he can’t give them that much time—and Harley isn’t even snarking with Dr. Stark in his place, probably because he’s cuddling Peter. 

Peter taps his phone back on, keeping it on the wide table and scrolling through Instagram once he turns the brightness down. There’s a bit of a headache starting to form behind his eyes from the stress he can’t totally push away. There’s not really much to see, not even on his explore page, but especially not right now when he feels so disconnected. Instead, he steals a glance at Harley’s page and sees him swiping through Tinder. 

Peter makes a face and nuzzles against Harley’s shoulder. He starts swiping his nose against Harley’s upper arm for whichever way he should swipe, seeing as he knows Harley’s type (Peter would even say he knows it better than Harley does, if anyone were to ask). Dating as a superhero  _ and _ as one of the co-heirs to Stark Industries is super hard, but Peter knows that isn’t why Harley doesn't date. 

“Oh yum,” Peter mumbles when Harley swipes right on an older man with his hair tied back in a bun. 

Harley snickers at him, and Peter can tell he’s about to say something, but he doesn’t get the chance. Instead, Peter’s eyebrows draw together when a knock on the door interrupts Dr. Stark and Colonel Rhodes’ quiet conversation, because... 

“James Buchanan Barnes is waiting outside the room, Boss,” FRIDAY’s voice comes from Dr. Stark’s tablet, speaking to the room at large instead of just Tony, even though he has an implant for just that. 

“He’s not here to hurt us,” Peter says before he can bite the words back, his confusion only growing stronger when he pushes his awareness out and gets absolutely nothing. 

Vision, with the aid of the Mind Stone, has really helped Peter get his Spidey Sense ironed out over the last couple of years. It took a really long time, but eventually, Peter was able to get a handle on it and develop  _ control _ over something he never thought would be anything more than an anxious tingling along the back of his neck when he’s in danger. Now, Peter pushes himself until he’s sitting upright and looks two seats down to Dr. Stark, leaning around Harley and Vision to meet his eyes. 

“Are you sure?” Dr. Stark asks, even though Peter knows that the older man trusts him. 

Peter nods, more confident in his abilities than he ever could have imagined being when he first got them. “Yeah, Dr. Stark. He’s not here to do anything to us, even subconsciously.” 

There’s a heavy pause that seems to echo through the room. No one says anything, but he and Dr. Stark hold eyes for a few seconds. Then Dr. Stark takes a deep breath and turns to look at Captain Danvers, and after they stare at one another for a few seconds, too, he slowly nods his head. 

“Come in,” Dr. Stark calls out. The door’s closed, but it isn’t locked. If Barnes tried to open the door, there wouldn’t be anything stopping him from getting in. 

When the door  _ does _ open, Peter realizes it wasn’t the door being closed that was stopping him at all. 

Barnes looks... he kinda looks like shit, Peter thinks. Which sure, isn’t super nice, but is true. By the look he and Harley share, he totally agrees with him. Barnes looks  _ fine, _ mostly, but... there’s a heaviness to his frame that Peter can’t miss when he really looks. Not when he knows what it looks like to feel so weighed down by the world around you. Not when his whole team has felt like that before, and they’ve only managed to leave that heaviness behind when the others have stepped up to help them carry their load. 

Even though he looks weary and worn down, he’s dressed really nicely. He’s in slacks and a dress shirt that makes Peter feel a little bit dumb, it’s so tight, and he has a tie on too, even if it’s not very well tied. Peter doubts he tied it, considering the sleeve of his left arm is pinned up. Peter raises an eyebrow at that, wondering just why the ex-Assassin wouldn’t be wearing the one they all know Wakanda equipped him with years ago. 

Then, because he’s really a dumb boy at the heart of it, he totally imagines stepping up in Barnes’ space and fixing his tie for him in a way that is  _ totally _ not appropriate in any way whatsoever, all things considered. By the way Harley’s hand squeezes his thigh, he  _ totally _ knows what Peter’s thinking. 

Oh no. 

He's going to start blushing. 

“The meeting doesn’t start for another twenty-four minutes,” Colonel Rhodes tells Barnes in a steely voice that Peter doesn’t hear very often, not unless they’re on a mission that isn’t going well. It’s a little nerve-wracking to hear it right now, but at least it makes Peter stop thinking about how freaking hot Barnes is all cleaned up. “You lost, Soldier?” 

“Ain’t much ‘a soldier anymore,” Barnes mutters, so quietly that  _ Peter _ almost misses it, before he shakes his head. “Ain’t lost,” he says louder, loud enough for everyone in the room to hear him clearly. “Was hopin’ to catch you all.”

Peter doesn’t need to look at Dr. Stark to know he’s frowning. 

“As I said, the meeting doesn’t start for another twenty-four—sorry, twenty-three minutes.”

“I know that,” Barnes says evenly, and then before anyone can say anything, he takes a really deep breath and seems to draw his shoulders up in a way that kinda makes them go on forever. 

No. Peter,  _ bad. _

“Dr. Stark? I... I’ve got a letter for ya,” Barnes says, his words heavy. Now that he’s standing tall and isn’t hunched forward... he looks even  _ more _ like shit, quite frankly, and Peter shares a look with Harley. “I, uh... I know it ain’t what you deserve. Ain't nothin’ like you deserve. But it’s the cash I got ‘n, I’m hopin’, somethin’ close to the apology you deserve.”

“Cash?” Harley asks with a snort, one of his eyebrows raised high enough that it can be seen over the rim of his glasses. 

“For the repairs to ya suit. I know it’s nearly four years too late, but... didn’t think it’d be good tryin’ to reach out ‘fore now. Knew you wouldn’t wanna be seein’ us ‘n after what I did? I didn’t have the right to reach out to ya, no matter what. Now... well, I figured you were gonna have to be seein’ us anyway, so I might as well do what I should’ve done years ago ‘n apologize to ya.”

Barnes doesn’t say anything else, and instead, he puts an envelope from his back pocket on the table, and then very slowly slides it over. The table  _ is _ long, so none of them can reach it, and Barnes doesn’t seem to know what to do. Peter rolls his eyes and flings a thin web at the thing, flicking his wrist so the envelope sails into his hand. 

He hands it over without looking, and is surprised when Barnes nods at him in... thanks? Peter looks back at him and doesn’t look away. He knows that he just revealed that he’s wearing a weapon and he can tell that Barnes isn’t, even without the text that FRIDAY popped onto his phone. In fact, he holds Barnes’ eyes—which are, like, really pretty—until he hears the envelope rip open, at which point he takes his eyes off the man that  _ still _ doesn't feel like a threat to look over at the man he’s come to love as a father. 

Dr. Stark is frowning openly at the paper in his hands. 

“You wrote this by hand?” he asks, looking up at Barnes with a look Peter doesn’t know what to do with. 

Barnes shrugs and says, “Easier writin’ one-handed than it is typin’.”

“Why aren’t you wearing your arm?” Harley asks, because  _ of course he does, _ and even though Barnes is totally not on their side, Peter still shoots him a dirty look. Harley just shrugs. Because he’s a butt hole. 

“I only wear that when I'm out on the field,” Barnes tells them and... his face looks honest. Peter has no idea why he would lie to them about that, too, so he’s tempted to believe him. 

“Wakandan tech not good enough for you?” Dr. Stark asks sharply, looking up at Barnes with his shaking hands hidden under the table. 

“It could be better,” Barnes says with a challenge in his eyes as he stares Dr. Stark down, before his eyes drop to the table and his left shoulder seems to curl in. “‘Sides I... I’m already ‘nough ‘a a weapon as is. Don’t need to be addin’ to it when I’m off the field, yeah?”

Peter sees Colonel Rhodes look heavily at the empty space his arm should be, and Peter tries not to do the same after he sees him doing so. Barnes has told them a truth they have no right to know, and Peter doesn’t understand why he just shared something like that so freely. Harley’s fingers are tight enough around Peter’s thigh that the bruises he’s no doubt digging in are going to last. 

He understands. 

“It just... it ain’t somethin’ that I keep on all the time. No matter what Princess Shuri ‘n her team did for it, it never started feelin’ like my arm. I’ll use it to fight, but ain’t much else I use it for.” 

No one says anything after that. 

It’s really quiet when Dr. Stark keeps reading the letter. Peter can see the way that blatantly Colonel Rhodes is reading over his shoulder and, Peter’s pretty sure anyway, that FRIDAY is reading it to Vision. Peter would pout, but... Peter knows how hard Dr. Stark tried to move on from his first team. He and Harley meet eyes and then knock shoulders, the grip on his thigh loosening up even though he doesn’t take his hand away. Harley pulls out his phone and he doesn’t even need to unlock it before text is appearing on their screen and scrolling down just as quickly as the two of them can read. 

He chances a quick glance up and Barnes is just... standing there. Watching all of them watch him. By the way he’s getting tenser and tenser, it’s obvious that he knows they’re all looking at the letter, but he’s standing pretty tall with seven superheroes analyzing his apology. An apology that’s pretty freaking heartfelt, from what Peter’s reading.  _ Especially _ heartfelt when he remembers the letter that Rogers sent, nearly four years ago. 

This letter isn’t anything like that. He’s sure that Dr. Stark and Colonel Rhodes are thinking that too. The letter that Barnes wrote is... well, it’s apologetic, it’s specific, and it’s... Peter believes it, actually. 

It reads really honest. 

Barnes looks really honest, too. 

Dr. Stark must agree. He and Colonel Rhodes have one of those super silent conversations they have that kinda freak Peter out ‘cause they can literally look at each other and exchange, like, actual words, and then Dr. Stark turns forward with a small frown on his face but kind eyes. 

Peter’s never felt so honoured to be a part of his team. 

“Barnes...”

“Can—I-I know I ain’t got no right to ask none ‘a ya for nothin’, but maybe... could ya call me James?” 

“James,” Dr. Stark says, and  _ tension _ bleeds out of Bar—James’ shoulders like he expected a fight and is relieved he didn’t get one. Peter tilts his head as he wonders why that is, not liking anything he can think of. “Thank you.”

James bristles. His shoulders go back and something almost  _ righteous _ crosses over his face as he says, “There ain’t  _ nothin’ _ for you to be thankin’ me for, Dr. Stark—”

“If I have to call you James, you have to call me Tony,” Dr. Stark says, and, to James’ surprise and no one else's, sticks out his hand to shake. 

_ “Thank you,” _ James breathes out like an entire weight has been lifted from his body. He has to walk ‘round the table (seriously, the United Nations  _ really _ didn’t want them sitting too close to each other, huh), but clearly Tony realized that, since he stands from his seat and moves to meet James halfway. 

“You can thank me when I give you a new arm,” Dr. Stark says, and Peter can  _ hear _ his raised eyebrow, his tone literally  _ begging _ James to argue with him. 

“Dr...  _ Tony, _ you ain’t gotta do that,” James protests, and he sounds really serious. 

Peter has heard others, usually at charity events or galas, decline something that Dr. Stark has offered them in a tone of voice that means they actually really want it. James doesn’t sound like that at all. He sounds serious, and Peter wholeheartedly believes that James would be fine if Dr. Stark went back and said to forget the offer. 

Dr. Stark isn’t going to, though. Peter knows that one for sure. 

“He’s already done it,” Colonel Rhodes grumbles, then taps his forehead at James’ wide eyes. “He’s probably been thinking up a blueprint since you walked in with your tail between your legs looking like one of us kicked your puppy.”

“Colonel, you deserve an apology from all ‘a us as well, even if you’re only gonna get one for me,” James says seriously, and Harley fake gags. 

It works to dispel some of the nervous tension that’s so heavy in the room. “Ew. Feelings. Disgusting.”

“You love feelings, Harles,” Peter teases, bumping his shoulder. 

“You do quite enjoy media that is targeted to inspire an emotional response,” Vision agrees, ‘cause he’s the best and he’s totally always on Peter’s side. Serves Harley right, since FRIDAY is a traitor and tends to side with him instead. 

“Boys,” Dr. Stark says again,  _ louder _ than before to encompass Vision, and all three of them snicker and share a look. 

James watches them all with wide eyes, and Peter can only guess at some of the things he’s heard about them. The PR for the Avengers... isn’t very good. Stark Industries has some of the best PR representatives  _ ever, _ and Peter knows that Harley has a special interest in their department that causes the two of them to spend a lot of time down on their floors. They hear a lot about how horrible the Avengers do for themselves, saying things they should never say to the public without a single clue that they just keep burying themselves in hotter and hotter water. 

Peter can still vividly remember the grumbling they all did after a certain press release where Maximoff and Barton talked too much. That was... bad. Really bad. 

James doesn’t seem anything like that though. 

In fact, Peter smiles at him when they meet eyes, and tries not to let himself get distracted by the way James smiles back at him. The man is... attractive.  _ Very _ attractive, oh my goodness. When he smiles like he  _ means _ it, his grin twisting up at the edges and revealing a strip of white, straight teeth, Peter feels like a bit of totally inappropriate heat build in his gut. Because even though Dr. Stark seems ready to forgive him right away, Peter doesn’t know if  _ he _ is. Well, he  _ is, _ because he was never the one wronged and he trusts Dr. Stark’s feelings and won’t go against them, but... 

It’s probably better if he  _ doesn’t _ notice how hot James is. That’s all. Even with his hair pulled into a low, professional-looking bun, and the stubble on his face leaning more into a beard. He’s so big, which Peter noticed right away but  _ really _ notices now that James is  _ still _ smiling at him, oh my god. 

James, who is  _ also _ adorable with the way he shuffles back over to the other side of the big room and asks, “Mind if I wait for the others with ya?”

Dr. Stark gives him the okay, and James smiles at him thankfully. 

Peter remembers the way the Avengers had interacted with Tony at that airport, and... none of them were half as polite as James is being now. Sure, there was like  _ a lot _ going on that day, but Peter will never forget the way the Avengers refused to back down and come in, even though Dr. Stark was obeying the law. 

Peter lets his eyes track heavily over James’ frame, doing his best to do it subtly, and he remembers catching James’ fist in a way that has a little thrill going through him. Harley gives him a look that Peter doesn’t like because it always means bad (or  _ good) _ things, but Harley doesn’t say anything right away and just smirks at him. 

Captain Danvers starts talking to him about the war, of all things. It kind of makes sense, seeing as Captain Danvers served in the 60s, or something like that. He listens to them for a little bit, but then he gets bored and stares at James and... realizes that he totally should be doing that and tries really hard to tune them out, watching the skateboarding video Harley is looking at and resting his head back on his shoulder. 

“Are you dating Rogers?” Harley asks out of nowhere, shocking the  _ entire _ room into a dead silence. Peter sits up straight to send him a look that promises death, but Harley only smirks. 

James... snorts. When Peter finally looks over, he has a similar smirk on his face as he stares back at Harley. “Nah, Stevie ‘n I ain’t like that no more.”

“No more?” Dr. Stark asks, leaning forward and grinning widely. “So the seedy romance rumours were right?”

“Little bit, yeah. Stevie ‘n I were always real close,” James tells them, then he seems to stop and think. “I like my men smaller,” James finally says heavily, looking at Harley but, since Peter is staring at him, he doesn’t miss the way James’ eyes flick to him quickly. “Why, you interested?”

Harley snorts right back, and says, “Nah, you aren’t  _ my _ type, either.”

Peter doesn’t miss the emphasis that Harley puts on “me”, and James doesn’t seem to either. The man turns to him with a look that goes straight to Peter’s core, and he bites into his bottom lip under the weight of it. James’ eyes seem to drop to his mouth and focus there, and Peter can’t believe what he’s doing when he slowly licks his lips, but he is  _ totally _ flirting with the Winter Soldier. 

Oh my god. 

_ Oh my god.  _

“Where are you all staying?” Colonel Rhodes asks loudly, giving James a disapproving look. 

Peter pouts at the “angry dad” routine when Colonel Rhodes starts grilling him with questions, but he seems to calm down as James keeps answering him. They all know where the Avengers are staying (the Council has put them up in a nearby hotel in a series of simple, inexpensive rooms) and everything James is saying is ringing true. He isn’t lying to them or sparing any details, and Peter... doesn’t know why. 

Something funny flips around in his chest when James  _ laughs _ at something the Colonel said, and he uselessly looks at Harley who is, of course, no help. All he does is start tapping out a rhythm on his thigh, but thankfully he doesn’t say anything else or tease Peter in any way. 

Small mercies. 

Colonel Rhodes, Captain Danvers and James all start talking and Peter... watches James. He gets more and more animated as the conversation goes on, until he’s all easy smiles and warm, rich chuckles that make Peter’s heart swell and gut heat up in a way they absolutely shouldn’t. But... James keeps sneaking glances at him, too, and the skin under James’ beard gets pinker and pinker each time they meet eyes, so Peter figures it isn’t too bad. 

Unfortunately, the returned peace doesn’t last long. 

“They’re coming,” Peter says before FRIDAY chirps her agreement, his spine going stick-straight and his body tensing up so tightly it hurts as a  _ wave _ of worry washes over him. “It doesn’t feel good. Dr. Stark, it doesn’t—”

Harley takes his hand tightly and Vision reaches over Harley to rest a hand on his shoulder to give it a comforting squeeze. It’s a brief, fleeting point of contact from Vision, his older-but-younger brother, but the synthezoid’s touch helps centre him in his body. Peter takes a deep breath and ignores the worried look James is sending him, wondering why he thinks he can read the man so well already. 

The atmosphere of the room changes with Peter’s warning. He can see the lines that etch themselves into Dr. Stark’s face and the way Ms. van Dyne’s posture goes just as straight as Peter’s. Captain Danvers and Colonel Rhodes are better at not looking as bothered, but even Peter can see their own tells. 

But... James changes the most. As Peter watches, he draws himself back into the nervous-looking man he’d been when he first stepped into the room. Peter’s chest aches. 

“It’s going to be okay,” Dr. Stark tells him seriously, the rest of the adults nodding along with him as they all look at Peter before their eyes all move to the front door, still standing open from when James came in. 

It’s barely a few seconds before he hears the thump of footsteps. 

Rogers is the first one through the door, and he stops when he sees them. Peter feels a weak smile curl around his lips, knowing the picture they make is a strong one. Dr. Stark is right in the middle, with Colonel Rhodes to his immediate left. He’s followed by Captain Danvers and then Ms. van Dyne, leaving Vision, Harley and Peter to Dr. Stark’s right. It helps the swirling anxiety that’s been forming in his gut, spurred on by his Spidey Sense. 

They look strong. Peter  _ knows _ they look strong, because they are. He hates that Dr. Stark is in the centre, but since the Avenger’s asked for this meeting to be with Dr. Stark specifically, they all thought it was best if he and Captain Danvers switched their usual places when they found out from the Council that the whole of the Avengers planned on showing up. Peter agrees, he just doesn’t really like it when they all stare directly at Dr. Stark. 

The rest filter in, dialling Peter’s senses up to eleven with the amount of  _ threat  _ he feels. Luckily, though, James clears his throat and it seems that the attention of all the Avengers is immediately off of them in favour of him. 

Huh. 

_ Wow.  _

Rogers sucks in a breath, and then he takes a few steps closer to where James is sitting at the very end of their side of the table but coming to an abrupt halt. “Bucky? What are you doing here? We looked all over the hotel for you!”

Well, at least that explains why they’re three minutes late. 

Because Peter’s watching him, he sees James’ tiny flinch at the name. By the looks on his team’s faces when he chances a glance, they all notice it too. It gives some context to James asking to be called just that, and the ache in Peter’s chest only gets worse when he watches the light he’d come to like in James’ eyes go dull. 

After a second, James shrugs, looking pretty casual all things considered. Peter, knowing what he’d looked like only a minute ago as Peter more or less watched him super creepily, versus what he looks like now, can see the tension lining his body, “Didn’t feel like waitin’ ‘round anymore. Came to see if the room was empty.”

“It doesn’t look empty, Buck” Rogers says, with wide eyes and slow words. Peter feels a frown slip across his face at the way Rogers is so clearly talking down to his “best friend”. 

“It wasn’t.”

Rogers blinks slowly, like he doesn’t understand. Harley snorts, and Peter totally gets why—Captain America kinda looks like an idiot. “Then... why are you here?”

James opens his mouth, closes it, and doesn’t open it again. 

Dr. Stark clears his throat and makes a big spectacle about standing to his feet, grinning at all of them like he’s the happiest man in the world. Peter’s heart softens a little, knowing that Dr. Stark is drawing attention to himself to get it off James, even though they’ve only been on friendly terms for like twenty minutes. It doesn’t surprise him, not at all, but he  _ is _ surprised at just how happy it makes him. 

Oh no. He can  _ not _ be crushing on the Winter Soldier. Right? 

Okay Peter, focus. There are bigger things to worry about than hotties with bodies. Peter focuses back on Dr. Stark and realizes that even though he’s drawing attention to himself, his eyes are crazy sharp. Peter wonders if the Avengers can see it too. Every line of Dr. Stark’s face screams threat, even with his patented media smile plastered on his face. 

From the way the others are all looking at him, they either don’t see it, or don’t care. 

“Well, Rogers? You asked us here. Are you going to get on with it?” Dr. Stark asks them, which is fair. They only have the meeting room for an hour, after all, and something is telling Peter it’s going to be a long-ass meeting. 

Rogers huffs, and he gives Tony a look that makes Peter’s teeth itch. He doesn’t say anything at first, moving forward to sit on his side of the table, the side closest to the door. Sure, they might be back against the wall, but that just means they know no one is behind them. Also, Dr. Strange is literally a text away: they’re never really trapped. 

Once they’ve all taken their time to sit down, Rogers sitting directly across from Dr. Stark with the rest of the Avengers sitting to his left—which puts several empty seats between all of them and James, huh—Rogers smiles. 

“It’s so nice to see you again, Tony,” Rogers says, and his voice is... well he doesn’t really sound like he means it. His smile looks like a grimace, actually, and Harley snorts again. 

Peter watches the Avengers closely. He knows that they’re being sized up, and by the look on the other’s faces, they’re being found wanting. Peter knew they weren’t very smart, but... he’s pretty sure Maximoff dismisses them all as a non-threat right off the bat which is, like, literally kinda insane. 

“I’d say the same, but I’d be lying,” Dr. Stark tells him with the same press smile as he finally sits down too.

“Wouldn’t be new for you then, would it, Stark?” Barton mutters under his breath. He probably doesn’t think any of them will hear it, but Peter’s head snaps to him and he glares at the man. Hard. 

Barton is a human. He has a fancy bow and arrow and that’s all he is. Peter could literally crush him in his bare hands. 

Not that he ever would! It’s just a comforting thought when Barton gives him a death glare right back. 

“I... didn’t realize you were bringing your whole team?” Rogers says dumbly, looking at them all with a shake of his head as if he’s disappointed. 

“That’s odd,” Dr. Stark says. “You should have known.”

Before he can keep going, though, Barton pipes up again, only this time loud enough for everyone to hear. “Just more lies, huh, Stark?”

Dr. Stark gives him a slow look, and Harley snorts again. “I don’t see how I’m  _ lying _ when I sent a full list of attendees to the Council before this meeting was even set up, but sure.”

“How are you doing?” Rogers asks, totally ignoring Barton’s comment even though it was like, super rude. They were the ones who asked them to a meeting, shouldn't they be, like, pretending not to hate Dr. Stark? Peter sends a quick, barely-there glance at James and he notices that the other super soldier is glaring at Barton too. Yeah, Rogers heard the first comment. “You look good.”

“You don’t,” Dr. Stark says simply. 

Harley snorts. Maximoff snarls. Colonel Rhodes sighs long-sufferingly, and Rogers gives him a very deep frown. It’s actually kind of true. Peter never would have thought he’d prefer a man  _ without _ a beard, but Rogers’ just looks ridiculously ungroomed. 

“Tony...”

“It’s actually Dr. Stark,” Peter pipes in, sending the “Captain” a cheeky grin and a wink. “Just in case you forgot.”

“Stay outta this, kid,” Barton tells him, and the name makes Peter’s skin crawl. 

Yeah. No way. Kid is totally only okay coming from the Colonel. 

“Tony has never had a problem with us using his name before,” Widow adds, and Peter lets his attention bleed away from Barnes to focus on the bigger of the two threats. 

“Uhm... I’m pretty sure “before” and “now” aren’t the same thing?” Peter says, giving the woman a look like she’s an idiot. It’s actually really easy, since Peter thoroughly believes she’s dumb as shit. 

“How about we get to business, yes?” Dr. Stark offers, still smiling grandly even though he doesn’t take his eyes away from Rogers. 

He doesn’t need to. He has a team. Peter knows that Vision is watching Maximoff, Ms. van Dyne is watching Lang, and Colonel Rhodes is watching Wilson. Peter is watching Widow, Harley is watching Barnes, and Captain Danvers is watching them all instead of watching James. Dr. Stark doesn’t  _ need _ to look at anyone but Rogers, because he isn’t alone, and they all have his back.

He’s never going to be alone again. 

“I... Tony, you don’t have to be this difficult,” Rogers tells him, like he’s  _ disappointed _ in him which... really?  _ Really? _ “We came here to talk to you as our  _ friend, _ we didn’t come here to fight.” 

After a few  _ minutes _ of silence where not a single one of them says anything, completely shocked silent, Rogers sighs heavily and then he says, “We wanted to offer you all places within the Avengers,” with a grand smile that’s suddenly reflected across the rest of his team—save for James who is scowling at the desk in a way that’s kinda seriously hot. 

Ugh, Peter.  _ Focus.  _

“Now that we’re free of the...  _ misunderstandings _ that had been holding us back from protecting the world,” the Black Widow sounds, like, super fake. Wow. Peter’s pretty sure she’s trying to sound, like, welcoming, but she mostly sounds like she’s confused, “the Avengers can come back together.”

Peter is pretty sure that by “misunderstandings”, she’s referring to the last couple of years when the Avengers weren’t  _ not _ criminals but were kinda criminals, since they’d broken a whole bunch of laws but somehow managed to skate past a whole lot of them with the help of T’Challa, until very recently when all charges were officially dropped after they saved New York from Doom when the Protectors were around the world dealing with a  _ much _ bigger threat than Doom Bots. 

Now, the public is mostly... over it. Really, they’ve given up. And since the Avengers all had to sign the updated Accords, they’re being overseen by the Council just like the Protectors and aren’t just running around all willy nilly. 

Even still... the public doesn’t  _ love _ them. At least not the majority of the public. 

“You seem to be under the misguided impression that any of us want that,” Ms. van Dyne chimes in, smiling at her ex in a way that makes even  _ Peter _ feels a little intimated. And, despite being super gay, kinda turned on? 

“Also, last time I checked, I was pretty sure we have a team,” Harley points out, lounging back in his chair in a way that has Rogers frowning at him as Harley twirls a finger around to encompass them, “we even got a name and everything. Did you... not know that?”

“Listen, kid,” Barton starts, and Harley glares at him. Yeah, looks like he doesn’t like it either, “you might not understand this, but the Avengers are the way forward.”

“This... team of yours isn’t going to be around forever,” Widow adds, with a simpering smile but a threat in her eyes that makes Peter tense up again. “You don’t need to keep playing pretend any longer. You can join us. All of you.”

“The safest hands are our own,” Rogers parrots, something that Peter had heard Colonel Rhodes ranting about years ago and makes him shiver with just as much fear now as it did then. 

Wow.  _ Wow, _ that was a whole different level of ignorance, huh? 

Not only that, but it pings his senses as a threat, too. 

“The Protectors are a recognized group that works within the parameters of the Sokovia Accords. Not only do we protect the world from real, tangible threats, but we work tirelessly to ensure a safe future for the earth, with a dedicated team of the greatest minds our lovely planet has to offer,” Dr. Stark tells them easily. With a press smile and a grand sweeping of his arms, he says, “In case you and yours were confused,  _ we’re _ the future.”

Rogers looks relieved, even though Peter doesn’t know why, and he lets out a huge sigh when he says, “I knew you would come around, Tony. I know we can work toge—”

Which...  _ what. _

“Dr. Stark meant that _we_ are the future, Mr. Rogers,” Peter cuts in quickly, not bothering to apologize, not even when Rogers sends him a look probably supposed to look disappointed but just looks constipated. He points to his team to emphasize who he means, and he can’t help the look on his face because... is he really that stupid?

“Young man, that’s Captain—”

“No it isn’t,” Harley jumps in, his foot slipping over Peter’s under the table. “Did you know you never finished basic training? They made you all big and righteous but you never earned your rank.”

“Now listen here—”

“Don’t you talk to my kids like that—”

“You’re the future?” James asks, out of nowhere and loud enough that Dr. Stark and Rogers both stop talking right away. Peter barely notices, because when he looks over James is staring at him so intensely that a shiver runs down Peter’s spine and the hairs along his arms stand on end. It isn’t a threat, but it is  _ something.  _ “If you’re what the future looks like, doll, I sure as hell wanna be apart ‘a it.”

Several things happen at once:

Rogers and co. swirl around to stare at James when Dr. Stark sputters, loudly, and Harley starts laughing his ass off. Vision looks confused, and by the way his eyes are glowing, he’s talking with FRIDAY right now, and Peter? Peter can’t take his eyes off the way James is still staring at him, eyes looking  _ honest _ and flirty little grin looking  _ hopeful, _ and Peter... well he’s done a lot of stupid stuff in his life. Why not add to the list? 

“I think we could make room for you, James,” Peter says, staring right back and ignoring the way Harley’s hand is squeezing around his thigh so tightly Peter almost winces in pain because  _ ouch, _ the boy should not be that strong. “In the future, I mean.”

“Gonna need a lot ‘a room, sugar,” James tells him heavily and it’s  _ horrible, _ such a bad line, but Peter still  _ giggles _ like an absolute idiot. 

“Why’s that?” Peter asks, but he lets his eyes  _ very _ obviously track the impressive breadth of James’ shoulders before drooling a little at the  _ very _ wide expanse of his chest. Okay... James is seriously, totally, very hot.

“Well, I’m a big boy, darlin’. The dames used to call me Bronco. Stuck around boot camp, too,” James tells him easily, leaning back in his seat and spreading his legs in a way that Peter sees when he pushes himself back from the table, just a bit, just because he’s leaning in, hands clasped together and eyes no doubt as bright as they are wide. 

“Y-Yeah? That’s a silly nickname,” Peter teases, his cheeks burning but the smile on his face unwavering. “How’d you get stuck with that?”

“I was one helluva ride, sugar,” James tells him, straight-faced and serious with a smirk halfway to devilish on his face and Peter? 

Peter laughs, bright and surprised, and raises an eyebrow as he asks, “Good thing I can stick to anything I touch then, isn’t it?”

“That’s enough!” Rogers shouts, slamming his hands on the table hard enough that it literally cracks in half as the rest of his team jump to their feet. 

Peter barely raises an eyebrow. He  _ definitely _ doesn’t look away from where James is still watching him, and he shakes his head when something dark passes across the man’s eyes and his shoulders curl in. It’s not James’ fault that Rogers is... doing whatever he’s doing. As Peter watches James steadily, not looking away, the man starts to uncurl until he’s sitting as easily as he was before the Avengers showed up. 

It brings a soft little smile to Peter’s face, and James grins back at him from under his lashes in a way that literally looks like sin. 

_ Oh my gosh.  _

Peter flicks his eyes over to find that Rogers is breathing really deeply and staring at Peter hard enough that... well, Peter actually isn’t threatened, at all, no matter Rogers’ intentions, so it doesn’t really do too much. 

“You’re looking a little green around the edges, Rogers,” Harley teases, and Peter sends him a quick grin. “Are you jealous?”

Rogers seems to puff up even more, but Peter doesn’t really care and focuses back on the “heroes” standing before them in what they  _ probably _ think is an intimidating battle pose. 

It isn’t. 

It really, really isn’t. 

“I think James can speak for himself,” Peter says clearly, raising a challenging eyebrow at Rogers. His Spidey Sense is tingling with his intention of harm, sure, but Peter realizes he’s not actually scared. “You heard him, didn’t you, Rogers? He’s a big boy. I’m sure he can tap out if he needs to.”

“Don’t you dare say another word to Bucky—”

“This meeting is over,” Dr. Stark says, his tone ringing with the sort of finality that comes from  _ years _ of being in charge, and then before he even stands up, a portal opens behind him.

Thank  _ gosh _ for FRIDAY. 

When Peter looks behind them at the portal that splits open the wall they were backed up against, he sees that it opens directly into the common room of the tower. Strange is sprawled out on the couch and in perfect view, looking incredibly relaxed except for the  _ very _ slight tremble in his hands that makes Peter pretty sure he’s heard everything that’s been said. Peter squints, and realizes the Sorcerer is wearing one of Colonel Rhodes’s shirts and... isn’t wearing pants. 

Oh my gosh. He hates these people. 

“I am so glad to hear that,” Dr. Strange says, voice carrying through the room. “I was feeling rather lonely.”

“I’ve been with you this whole time, Dr. Strange,” FRIDAY chirps, which causes a laugh from Colonel Rhodes who wheels himself through the portal and straight to the couch. 

“And you were a lovely companion, but I was left in bed all alone,” Dr. Strange says with a pout. Peter rolls his eyes at them, and then rolls his eyes again when he can practically  _ feel _ the confusion coming from the other side of the room. 

There’s totally a reason Dr. Strange is sitting in the common room, too. After all, it’s where the original Avengers had “lived” for a very short time. 

“You were  _ not _ left in bed,” Colonel Rhodes tells him, but he still transfers himself onto the couch then pulls Dr. Strange into a kiss. 

“Oh, lip action! That’s my cue!” Dr. Stark cheers, waving at the—now that Peter is looking, very shocked—Avengers before all but skipping into the room and throwing himself across his partners’ laps. 

Captain Danvers laughs and shakes her head, and she and Ms. van Dyne stand and leave together as Vision floats after them. After squeezing his hand and giving him a really sharp look, Harley goes too. Peter, left in the room all on his own, wonders if he should feel nervous. He doesn’t. Not with his strength. Not with his training. Not with the protective bracelet Dr. Strange gave them all years ago. Instead, he looks at James and feels something in his heart ache when the man won’t look back at him. 

“James,” Peter says, knowing that if Dr. Stark didn’t want this to happen, he would have made sure Peter left before he did. They... well that was some  _ very _ obvious flirting, and it isn’t like Peter’s type (Harley excluded) isn’t well known. “Are you coming?” 

James’ head snaps up, like he didn’t believe Peter was still in the room even though he knew he was. Peter can see something achingly fragile flash across his face before he seems to draw up his strength, and with a dirty grin, asks, “That an offer to help me?”

“It might be,” Peter says, grinning even wider as his cheeks heat back up and something giddy rises in his chest. “Depends on just how good of a ride you are.”

“Oh darlin’,” James purrs in an accent that makes Peter a little bit wet—he’d be worried, if Spider-Man hadn’t come out a couple of years before—and he says, “I promise I’m worth a go.”

“Prove it,” Peter challenges, standing up and stretching his arms above his head in a way that he  _ knows _ is appealing. “If you catch me you can take me out on a date. Then we’ll see. You gotta earn it, ya know?” 

James stands and  _ stalks _ around the table, and Peter laughs as he dashes through the portal, hearing a heavy pair of boots immediately rush after him. He only hears Rogers shouting for a second before the portal closes, and then a  _ big _ arm is wrapping around his waist and spinning him around in a circle, lifting his feet off the ground. Peter throws his head back and laughs, steadying himself with his hands on James’ shoulders as the supersoldier lets him down. 

Dr. Stark, Dr. Strange and Colonel Rhodes are flirting with each other on the couch. Harley and Vision and talking with FRIDAY about lunch. Ms. van Dyne is on the phone and Captain Danvers has the TV on. Among the familiar symphony of his family, James’ laugh feels like  _ freedom _ bubbling up from somewhere dark. It’s beautiful, one of the best sounds that Peter’s ever heard, and as he uses his hold on James’ shoulders to wrap his legs around the girth of his waist, it fits right into the cacophony of sound that is his team, his  _ family. _

“I caught ya, darlin’,” James asks, and the smile that’s stretched wildly across his face makes him seem so much  _ younger _ than he looked back in the boardroom. 

“Did you think it was going to be that easy?” Peter asks, then drops himself back, sticks his hands to the floor, and uses his legs to throw James all the way across the room and into the  _ very _ reinforced wall that lines the tower. Using his fingers to toss himself into the air enough that he can land on his toes facing James, he ignores Dr. Stark's shout to  _ “Flirt carefully!” _ and tells him, “I said you had to catch me, Soldier.”

James growls, a noise that causes Peter to shiver from across the room, and pushes himself to his feet. “Oh darlin’, it is  _ on.”  _

And then, he charges. 

Peter’s laugh echoes as he throws out his arm and slings himself away with a web. 

It  _ is _ on. 

**Author's Note:**

> come say hi to me on [tumblr](https://lavender-lotion.tumblr.com/)!
> 
> kudos aren’t the same as getting a comment, not even close. so a comment, as short and sweet or as sprawling and sporadic as you can manage, would be _greatly_ appreciated! don't know what to comment? how about _”this was great!”_ or _“awesome work!”_


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